Gender Research Study 2 Flashcards
Are American women or men more accepting of children’s cross-gender behaviour?
Women
3 explanations for different opinions of cross-gender behaviour in boys and girls
- different status levels associated with masculine and feminine roles -> a girl’s movement into highly-valued male role is more acceptable than a guy’s movement into less-valued female role
- belief that girls (but not boys) will “grow out” of cross-gender behaviour -> boys predicted to show cross-gender behaviour into adulthood
- parents fear feminine boys will become gay or transsexual -> concern for future outcomes causes more negative attitude
Differences between current study and Martin’s earlier study
- Martin used college students, this study used parents
- Martin used Americans, this study examines Finnish people
- Finnish people have higher levels of education and more gender equality in society than Americans do
Which sex is associated with higher levels of social acceptance for cross-gender behaviour?
Girls (“boyish” girls more socially acceptable than “girlish” boys)
Who perceived cross-gender behaviour in boys as more socially acceptable?
Fathers
Who perceived cross-gender behaviour in girls as more socially acceptable?
Fathers
Did the parents/participants rate boys with a feminine personality less positively than girls with a masculine personality?
Yes
Who perceived boys with a feminine personality as more socially acceptable?
Fathers
Who perceived girls with a masculine personality as more socially acceptable?
No significant differences between mothers and fathers
Did the parents/participants rate cross-gender toy preferences for boys less favorably than cross-gender toy preferences for girls?
Yes
Who perceived cross-gender toy preferences for boys more favorably?
Fathers
Who perceived cross-gender toy preferences for girls more favorably?
No significant differences between mothers and fathers
Who perceived “having a girlish son” more negatively?
No significant differences between mothers and fathers
Did the participants believe that “typical” boys would be significantly more masculine as adults than “cross-gender” boys?
Yes
Did the participants believe that “cross-gender” boys would be significantly more feminine as adults than “typical” boys?
Yes
Did the participants believe that “typical” girls would be significantly more feminine as adults than “cross-gender” girls?
Yes
Did the participants believe that “cross-gender” girls would be more masculine as adults than “typical” girls?
No
Did the parents/participants predict that cross-gender boys would be less well-adjusted than cross-gender girls?
Yes
Did fathers predict that cross-gender boys would have a greater likelihood of becoming gay in adulthood?
Yes
Did the mothers predict that cross-gender girls would have a greater likelihood of becoming a lesbian in adulthood relative to “typical” girls?
No
Did the fathers predict that cross-gender girls would have a greater likelihood of becoming a lesbian in adulthood relative to “typical” girls?
No difference - fathers said both were equally as likely to become lesbians
Who believed that “typical” children have a greater likelihood of becoming gay or lesbian in adulthood?
Mothers
How are the results from this study consistent with the earlier results from Martin’s North American study?
- Boys with cross-gender behaviour are viewed more negatively than girls
- Cross-gender girls were expected to have grown out of masculine characteristics by adulthood, but were predicted to remain less feminine than typical girls
- Cross-gender boys were expected to remain both more feminine and less masculine than typical boys
- Both men and women predicted that cross-gender boys would be less well-adjusted as adults than cross-gender girls
- Men predicted that cross-gender boys are more likely to be gay than typical boys
- Cross-gender behaviour is less acceptable for boys because both cultures have greater fear of future outcomes, fear that it’s more stable, and fear that there’s stronger link between cross-gender behaviour and sexual orientation for boys
How are the results from this study inconsistent with the earlier results from Martin’s North American study?
- Finnish fathers appear to be more accepting of boy’s cross-gender behaviour than women, while American mothers have been found to be more accepting
- Less gender conformity was expected in Finland for boys and girls
